May is a milestone for the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF), marking 10 years of helping more than 2,700 Iowa livestock farm families successfully and responsibly grow their farms and their communities. CSIF was started by farmers to help farmers implement best management practices, properly site locations for barns, interpret an ever-changing landscape of rules and regulations, and enhance their neighbor relations.

"What makes the coalition so unique is that we believe in sitting across from a farmer at their kitchen table to really get an understanding of each individual situation," said CSIF Executive Director Brian Waddingham. "Every farm is unique, and every family has different goals." Over the past decade, the expansion of animal agriculture has led to an increase of $5.5 billion in economic output, $904 million in household wages, 22,000 jobs and $265 million in additional tax revenue.